Dream, n.
Etymology: [Akin to OS. dr, D. droom, G. traum, Icel. draumr, Dan. & Sw. dröm; cf. G. trügen to deceive, Skr. druh to harm, hurt, try to hurt. AS. dreám joy, gladness, and OS. dr joy are, perh., different words; cf. Gr.
1. The thoughts, or series of thoughts, or imaginary transactions, which occupy the mind during sleep; a sleeping vision. Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes. Dryden. I had a dream which was not all a dream. Byron.
2. A visionary scheme; a wild conceit; an idle fancy; a vagary; a revery; -- in this sense, applied to an imaginary or anticipated state of happiness; as, a dream of bliss; the dream of his youth. There sober thought pursued the amusing theme, Till Fancy colored it and formed a dream. Pope. It is not them a mere dream, but a very real aim which they propose. J. C. Shairp.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Dream, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dreamed or Dreamt (p. pr. & vb. n. Dreaming.]
1. To have ideas or images in the mind while in the state of sleep; to experience sleeping visions; -- often with of; as, to dream of a battle, or of an absent friend.
2. To let the mind run on in idle revery or vagary; to anticipate vaguely as a coming and happy reality; to have a visionary notion or idea; to imagine. Here may we sit and dream Over the heavenly theme. Keble. They dream on in a constant course of reading, but not digesting. Locke.
Dream, v. t.
To have a dream of; to see, or have a vision of, in sleep, or in idle fancy; -- often followed by an objective clause. Your old men shall dream dreams. Acts ii. 17. At length in sleep their bodies they compose, And dreamt the future fight. Dryden. And still they dream that they shall still succeed. Cowper. To dream away, out, through, etc., to pass in revery or inaction; to spend in idle vagaries; as, to dream away an hour; to dream through life. " Why does Antony dream out his hours" Dryden.
Shades of meaning
A dream is strictly a train of thoughts, fantasies, and images passing through the mind during sleep; a vision may occur when one is awake, and in clear exercise of the senses and mental powers; vision is often applied to something seen by the mind through supernatural agency, whether in sleep or wakefulness, conceived as more real and authoritative than a dream; a trance is an abnormal state, which is different from normal sleep or wakefulness. A reverie is a purposeless drifting of the mind when awake, under the influence of mental images; a day-dream that which passes before the mind in such condition. A fancy is some image presented to the mind, often in the fullest exercise of its powers. Hallucination is the seeming perception of non-existent objects, as in insanity or delirium. In the figurative sense, we speak of dreams of fortune, visions of glory, with little difference of meaning except that the vision is thought of as fuller and more vivid. We speak of a trance of delight when the emotion almost sweeps one away from the normal exercise of the faculties.